http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck- ... 49703.html
Bottom Line: Team is damn good, but there are a couple teams in the West that look damn gooder at this point. But that's why we play the games.Last Season, In Summary
An 0-6 slide to finish the season cost the St. Louis Blues a chance to win their first second Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history, but things got sunnier when they took a 2-0 series lead over the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round with back-to-back 4-3 overtime victories. Unfortunately for the Blues those would be the last wins of the season as Chicago would win four straight to advance.
The Blues pushed their chips to the table in order to make a Stanley Cup run when they acquired Ryan Miller Steve Ott at the trade deadline. Dealing for Miller was a gamble, seeing as how Jaroslav Halak’s numbers weren’t drastically different than the long-time Buffalo Sabre’s.
The result of Miller’s play (.899 even strength save percentage vs. Chicago), lack of a big goal when needed, and a power play that went 2-for-29 in the playoffs sowed the seeds of St. Louis’ demise.
Head coach Ken Hitchcock and two assistants were extended for another season, but another assistant, Gary Agnew, was replaced by Kirk Muller, and goalie coach Corey Hirsch was let go.
Last Season’s Definitive Highlight
Between his heroics vs. Russia at the Olympics for Team USA and a 60-point season, it was the Year of T.J. Oshie.
Off-Season Transactions
One of the bigger and more expensive signings over the summer was Paul Stastny’s four-year, $28 million deal. He posted one his best seasons to date (25 goals, 60 points) and will bolster an already strong offensive arsenal.
Ryan Miller’s short, unsuccessful stint in St. Louis ended when the team decided to go with the tandem of Jake Allen and Brian Elliott. Miller would move on to Vancouver, signing a three-year, $18 million deal.
A big loss was Vladimir Sobotka leaving for the KHL after failed contract talks. A restricted free agent, Sobotka was awarded a one-year, $2.7 million contract during an arbitration hearing he didn’t attend. If and when he should return to the NHL, he must honor that award with the Blues.
Looking to fill the void left by Sobotka’s absence, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong convinced 2008 draft pick Jori Lehtera to come to the NHL after spending the last four years in the KHL. He posted 29 goals and 92 points with Sibir the last two seasons.
Derek Roy moved on to Nashville; Brenden Morrow inked a deal with Tampa; and Roman Polak was dealt to Toronto for defenseman Carl Gunnarsson and a fourth rounder.
Forwards
Alex Steen was red-hot to begin last season, but came back down to earth while still finishing with a respectable 33 goals and 62 points to lead the Blues. Despite the addition of Stastny, the line of Steen, David Backes (27 goals) and Oshie should remain intact.
Eight Blues forwards finished with double digit goals, which helped them rank tied for sixth with 2.92 goals per game. Adding Stastny will help keep that number high and hopefully help the still-unsigned Jaden Schwartz build off his 25-goal, 52-point campaign.
A hand injury sidelined Vladimir Tarasenko, but he still reached the 20-goal mark and should see immediate chemistry alongside his former Sibir teammate in Lehtera. Despite his numbers seeing a dip, Patrik Berglund had solid possession numbers up against tougher competiton.
Defensemen
The Blues finished third in goals allowed with 2.29 per game and second behind Boston in goals allowed during 5-on-5 play, according to War on Ice.
Jay Bouwmeester (37 points) and Alex Pietrangelo (8 goals, 51 points) provide a solid, balanced pairing in that back who are reliable in their own end and can help drive possession and aid the offense. Kevin Shattenkirk led all Blues defenseman with 10 goals and 26 power play points.
With all the offense in front of him, Barret Jackman can worry about being steady in the defensive zone. He will turn 34 this year. Is a slide coming? Ian Cole didn’t play in the postseason and will become an RFA next summer. Make or break year?
New boy Carl Gunnarsson played top line minutes with Dion Phaneuf in Toronto, so he should find a nice role in the St. Louis defense mix.
Goaltenders
The tandem of Brian Elliott and Jake Allen will need to answer some questions this season. Elliott was handed a three-year extension when the Blues decided to part ways with Miller; meanwhile Allen is set to become an RFA after the 2014-15 season.
Elliott has had strong showings in the past, but hasn't been a regular no. 1 for some time now. Hitchcock has already crowned him as the team’s starter to begin the season, but how soon until Allen pushes things toward a platoon setup?
Special Teams
The addition of Stastny will bolster a power play that finished tied for fifth in the NHL last season (19.8-percent). It’s a unit that’s slowly improved over the last three seasons, and with seven returning players having posted double digit power play points.
The Blues’ penalty kill has had a success rate no lower than 84.7-percent over the last three seasons. The losses of Polak and Sobotka will hurt, but there are enough solid killers coming back that should keep St. Louis high in the NHL rankings again.
GM and Coach
Doug Armstrong is secure, at least contract-wise, until 2017-18 after inking a five-year extension in Jan. 2013. His head coach, however, is in the final year of his deal. Since coming to St. Louis and turning the franchise around in 2011-12, Hitchcock has found regular season success, but longed for better results in the playoffs, which has included back-to-back first round exits.
And Now, A Blooper
Patrik Berglund would like a second chance at this.
The Potential Best Thing About This Team
Two-way play. The Blues are incredibly strong offensively and defensively. Those two factors lead to solid power play and penalty kill units. They’re a team that should again finish near the top of the Western Conference, but can they overpower the likes of Chicago and Los Angeles?
The Potential Worst Thing About This Team
Another strong regular season leads to another early elimination in the playoffs, as is tradition in St. Louis. Hitchcock is fired and Armstrong gets an itchy finger to change the makeup of the team.
Single Emoji Prediction
Prediction: St. Louis again finds themselves in a race for the Central Division crown. Stastny’s addition will help and the tandem of Elliott and Allen will be fine. But for all their strengths, the West is too wild to see the Blues survive the three rounds it will take to make the Stanley Cup Final.
